Knitting machine



Nov. 21, 1961 T. R, FOUTS 3,009,339

KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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BY @tlrymj ATTOFIVEKS.

Nov. 21, 1961 T. R FOUTS KNITTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1960 INVENTOR. fins/017 17. 1 01115, BY

Nov. 21, 1961 T. R FOUTS 3,009,339

KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 m INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Nov. 21, 1961 T. R. FOUTS KNITTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 3, 1960 FIGE5 cw 5 R M N m W5 r 1 $7 Nov. 21, 1961 T. R. FOUTS KNITTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 3, 1960 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. fill/"Jim 1? @1118, BY

1 ATTORNEYS.

NOV. 21, 1961 R FQUTs 3,009,339

KNITi'ING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1960 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fl Ci l]. 7 10a IN V EN TOR.

' Armin/5x5.

United States Patent 3,009,339 KNITTING MACHINE Thurston R. Fouts, Griliin, Ga., assignorto Spalding Knitting Mills, Grilfiu, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,564

6 Claims. (Cl. 664-17) include earns 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 89 and 90; lift pickers and 21 which are pivoted for up and down movement to vertical axis swivel supports 60 and 61 oscillatable in stationary brackets 62 and 63 and are connected by a fabric of uniform loop size in individual courses, free of distortion and streaking, due to sticking of the needles in the cylinder grooves and to uneven pull on the fabric incident to being drawn from the needles during the knitting.

The chief aim of my invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks. This objective is realised in practice, as hereinafter disclosed, through provision of relatively simple and reliable means capable of ready incorporation in a knitting machine of the aforementioned type without necessitating any extensive alterations or changes in the basic construction of the machine or in the principle of its operation, said means including a pair of special cams for association with the actuating group for the needles in the lower cylinder; an improved intermittently actuated roller take-up; and a verge over which the fabric is drawn and caused to be gradually flattened enroute to said take-up.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a View showing the improved machine in side elevation;

FIG. 2 shows the machine in rear elevation or as seen when viewed from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the machine in top plan; 7

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of the machine axially through the needle cylinders, taken as indicated by the angled arrows IV--IV in FIGS. 2 and 3 and drawn to a larger scale;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are horizontal sections taken, as indicated respectively by the arrows VV and VI .-VI in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 and likewise drawn to a larger scale;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the upper portion of the fabric receiver of the machine in axial section taken as indicated by the angledarrows Vile-VII in FIG. 4, with the improved take-up means shown in elevation;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views looking as indicated respectively by the angled arrows VIII-VIII and lX-IX in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing how the take-up is actuated; and

upper cylinder being in line with the-intermediate grooves V of the lower cylinder which latter grooves contain slide link 65; and a drop picker 22 with an associated lowering cam 73, all of which are supported upon the plate 11. The lower cylinder 1 is provided adjacent its top with a radially grooved dial 87 for slide sinkers 91 which are actuated by cams 92a in a ring 92 which is oscillatable about the dial within the limits imposed by engagement of stop screws 93' in spaced lugs on said ring with the bearing post 69 for the drop picker 22. The top end of the upper cylinder 1 is rotatably engaged and stabilized in an axially apertured plate 96 which is supported by-a pair of diametrically disposed posts 97 and 98 upstanding from the plate 11. The clearing cam 18 is afiixed to a slide 25 constrained to movement radially of the cylinder 1 in a guide 26 against the force of a spring 27, by a crank 29 at one end of a rock shaft 30 which is supported in fixed bearings 31 and 32 and has a finger 35 at its opposite end operable from beneath through an adjustable screw 36, by a vertical thrust rod 37 which passes through a slotted guide 38 aflixed to a stud 39 on the machine frame 40 and the lower end of which is in thepath of a riser 41, on the cam drum 42 of the machine. The picker 20 is liftable by a finger 66 at the top of another thrust rod 67 which is guided for up and down movement in a fixed bracket -33 on the bed 10 and adapted to be actuated by segmental riser 68a on the cam drum 42. The drop picker 22 supported for universal movement is usually an up standing post 69 by a torsion spring surrounding its horizontal pivot, so as to be yieldingly urged toward its invert V-notched guide cam 72 which, together with the guard cam. 73 is fixedly secured to said post. The means for controlling the drop picker includes a' finger which overreaches a radial projection 75 on the horizontal pivot 71, said finger being secured to the top of a vertical slide rod 76. At its lower end the rod 76 is connected to a lever 77 which is pivoted on a fixed stud 78, with its free end disposed in the path of circumferentially-aligned rises 79 on the control drum 42.

mediate point, by a link 82 withua-crank projection 83 the horizontal pivot 71 of saidpicker, said pivot being torsioned by a spring 70.

cam 86 on the edge of a ring 87 afixed to the lower needle cylinder 1 at the top. A spring 88 urges the pin 85 toward the periphery of the ring 87. The depressing cam 23 is I a afiixedto a slide 45 constrained to endwise' movement radially of the cylinder 1 in a fixed guide 46, and is movable inwardly of the cylinder in opposition of-a spring 47,

bya fiinger 48 at one end of a rock shaft 49 supported in' fixed bearings 50 and 51, said shaft being provided at its drum 42. The cams for actuating the needles 4 in the upper cylinder 2 includes'a stitch cam 100, an auxiliary 7 I I I lift cam 101, a clearingcarn 1102 and a guard cam'103. The stitch cam 100 is secured by, screws-106 to a slide Patented Nov. 21, 1961 The specialjmeans for actuating the drop picker 2?. during its operating periods includes an arm (FIG. 4)"which is fulcrumed at 81 on the post 69 and which is connected, at an inter- A lateral extension 80am? the 1 arm 80 engages a pin'85 which is slidable in the post 69. The inner end of the pin is in the path of a segmental 107 having vertical guidance in a block 108 secured to the underside of the annulus 96, said slide having a lateral stop lug 1 12 and an upward stern 109. As shown, the stem 109 protrudes through the annulus 96 and is held by the spring 111 in engagement with one end of a lever 114 medially fulcrumed on a bearing 115. The other end of the lever 1 14 is connected to the top end of a thrust rod 117 arranged to be actuated by a riser 118 on the drum 42. The clearing cam 102 is affixed to the inner end of a radially retractable slide 120 which is guided in a block 121 at the underside of the annulus 96 and is urged inwardly by a spring 122. The outer upturned end 120a of the slide 120 is engaged by a crank 123 at one end of a rock shaft 125 supported in fixed bearings 126 and 127 on the annulus, an adjustable abutment screw in the arm 129 at the opposite end of a rock shaft engaging a vertical thrust bar 130 subject to actuation by a cam riser 131, on the drum 42. The supplemental cam 101 and the guard cam 103 are fixedly suspended from the annulus 96 by hangers 132 and 133. The needles 4 in the upper cylinder draw stitches over verges 135 of flange 136a on an annulus 136 at the bottom of said cylinder (FIG. 4). Surrounding the lower end of the upper cylinder 2 is a needle latch guard ring 137 which is sustained by brackets 138 and 139 at the top of standards 97 and 98, said guard ring being recessed along its lower edge as at 141, 142 and 143. At the recess 143 is located a pivoted needle latch opener 144 which is guided for retractability in a pendent lug of the bracket 138. A finger spring 145 serves to keep the latch opener 144 in its active position, and said latch opener being also engaged by a finger projection 146 at the lower end of a rock shaft 147 supported in apertured lugs of a bearing piece 148 secured to the post 97. A link 150 connects a small crank arm 149 at the top of the shaft 147 with the slide which carries the cam 120. In FIGS. 11 and 12 the path of the needles 3 in the lower cylinder 1 is indicated by a line j-j, the verge level over which the stitches are drawn by the needles 4 of the upper cylinder is indicated by the line vv and the stitch drawing level of the web holders is indicated by the line w-w. The knitting yarn Y is directed through an eye 140a at the inner end of a horizontal finger 140, the yarn being drawn from a supply (not shown) and enroute to the finger 140 is passed between a pair of tension discs 156 ('FIG. 3) on a bracket arm 157 amazed to a post 158 rising from the frame 40 of the machine, then through a guide eye 159 at the distal end of said arm, then beneath a guide member 160 and then through the pigtail groove of a take-up arm 162 pivoted on said bracket.

In accordance with the present invention and as best seen in FIG. 4, the lower needle cylinder 1 of the machine is splined as at 190 to an insert tube-.191 which extends axially down through the bevel gear 8 into the fabric receiver 172, and which is secured by set screw 192 whereof the inner end is engaged in a vertical slot 193 in said tube. Afiixed to the tube 191 adjacent its bottom end by a screw 194 is a collar 195 which bears upon an annulus 196 secured by a bolt 197 within the upper part of the fabric receiver 172. The tube 191 is constrained against axial movement relative to the annulus 196 and the receiver 172 by a circumferential flange 198 at the bottom end thereof which flange underreaches said annulus. As further shown, the tube 191 has an internal annular flange 200 at the top end, and a semicircular slot 201 at one side thereof at the level of the knitting gap G, corresponding to the half circles of needles 3, 4 in the lower and upper cylinders 1, 2. Secured Within the tube 191 immediately below the slot 201 is a crescent-shaped block 202 (FIGS. 4 and over which the fabric is drawn from the needles during the knitting as later on explained, said fabric consisting of a string of connected stocking blanks. The leg portion, foot, toe and heel of one such blank being designated L, F, T and H respectively, and the leg portion of a preceding blank being designated L which is attached through half of its circumference to the toe T of the succeeding blank at a juncture course leaving a free edge at E. As shown, the block 202 extends halfway around the interior of the tube 191 within the range of the needles 3 and 4, and provides a horizontal ledge with a terminal verge 202a curved on an arc struck from a center eccentrically disposed relative to the axis of said tube. Also in the present instance, the upper needle cylinder 2 is keyed, as at 205, to an insert tube 206 having at its bottom end an internal flange 207 which rests upon the internal flange 200 of the tube 191, the two tubes being clamped together by cap screws 208 whereof the shanks pass through said flanges 200 and 207. At its top end the upper needle cylinder 2 is rotatively sustained within an apertured plate 96 supported by posts 97 and 98 at an elevation above the bed plate 10 of the machine.

For the purpose of drawing the fabric uniformly from the needles, I have devised a new take-up means 210 (FIGS. 1, 4, 7-10), which comprises a pair of horizontally-arranged corrugated nip rolls 211 and 212 whereof the shafts 213 and 214 are rotatively supported at opposite ends in bearing lugs 215 and 216 pendent from the sleeve 191 at diametrically opposite points. Fixed in different planes on the corresponding ends of the shafts 213, 214 of the nip rolls 211, 212 are ratchet wheels 217 and 218 respectively having oppositely pitched teeth. Arranged to concurrently pick the ratchet wheels 217 and 218 are pawls 219 and 220 which are pivoted upon a stud 221 medially of the ends of a horizontal finger 222 fulcrumed at 223 on the bearing lug 215, and which are maintained yieldingly in engagement with the respective ratchet wheels by springs 225 and 226. The nip roll 212 is urged toward the nip roll 211 by the action of springs 227 and 228 respectively upon friction fingers 229 and 230 pivoted respectively at 231 and 232 on the outer sides of the lugs 215 and 216, and bearing laterally against the protruding end of the shaft 214 of roll 212. Spring detents 235 and 236 cooperate with the ratchet wheels 217 and 218 to prevent reverse rotation of the nip rolls 213 and 214. During each rotation of the needle cylinders '1 and 2, the finger 222 is actuated by engagement with a cam 237 at the bottom of the annulus 196 with consequent picking of the ratchet wheels 217 and 218 and impartation of a rotary shift to the take-up rolls 213 and 214.

A further innovation to be noted is that I have provided two special cams 240 and 241 (FIGS. 1, 6 and 11 and 12, which are fixedly supported by the plate 11, the cam 240 beneath the auxiliary stitch cam 16, and the cam 241 adjacent the draw cam 18 of the actuating cam group for the needles 3 in the lower cylinder 1.

Operation Throughout the knitting, the cylinders 1 and 2 are constantly oscillated together in unison, each time through a full rotation in the same way as in the Norman patent. In the formation of the tubular portions of the fabric, the yarn Y is fed through the eye a in the latch guard ring 137 to the needles 4 in the upper cylinder and is knitted by said needles only during rotation of the cylinders in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 11, while the needles 3 of the lower cylinder hold the loops of the course previously drawn by them. During the instant rotation of the cylinders, it will be noted from FIG. 11 that the needles 3 in the lower cylinder 1 immediately before and after being depressed by the auxiliary stitch cam 16, are lifted slightly as their butts override the humps 240a and 24% of the special cam 240. As a consequence, the needles 3 are prevented from sticking in the grooves of the lower cylinder 1 with attendant relief of the strain upon the fabric loops. During rotation of the cylinders in the opposite direction or as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12, the needles 4 in the upper cylinder 2 hold the course of fabric loops previonsly formed on them, while the needles 3 in the lower cylinder 1 are actuated to knit the yarn Y. In this phase it will be observed that the needles 3 in the lower cylinder 1 are depressed slightly as they underpass the special cam 241 soon after the drawing of the fabric loops by action of the main stitch cam 15 upon said needles with consequent equalization of the fabric loops of the newly formed course. All the while the fabric is gradually drawn from the needles by the nip rolls 21-1 and 212 of the new take-up means 210, said rolls being turned slightly during each rotation of the cylinders in one direction or the other by action of the cam 23 7 upon the finger 222 carrying the pawls 219, 220 by which the ratchet wheels 217, 218 are picked. After passing horizontally over the top ledge of the block 202 the fabric F is drawn over the curved verge 202a of said block, diverted downwardly centrally of the lower cylinder 1, and gradually flattened, as will be observed from FIGS. 4 and 5, enroute to the nip rolls 211, 212 of the take-up means 210. The pull upon the fabric is thereby evenly distributed throughout the width thereof. Distortion of the fabric is precluded as a consequence, and objectionable streaking avoided through the loop equalization effected due to the provision of the special cams 240 and 241. It is to be understood that closing and formation of the toe pockets T and the formation of the heel pockets H is accomplished by machine in the same way as set forth in the Norman patent and need not therefore be reexplained herein.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the forms of the apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine haw'ng a lower cylinder and an upper cylinder in coaxial relation, each provided with a half circle of needles, means for oscillating the two cylinders in unison, a feed for serving yarn to the needles and means for actuating the needles in the respective cylinders during alternate rotations in opposite directions to produce fabric from the yarn: a fabric take-up means including a pair of intermittently rotated nip rolls disposed crosswise of the bottom of the lower cylinder; and an inward crescent-shaped ledge of an extent corresponding to the half circle of the needles, interiorly of the upper end of the lower cylinder at the knitting level, said ledge terminating in a verge curved in an arc struck from a center eccentrically disposed relative to the axis of the cylinder, over which verge the fabric is directed downwardly of the center of the cylinder, and gradually flattened enroute to the nip of the take-up rolls.

2. A knitting machine in accordance with claim 1, in which the nip rolls of the fabric take-up are actuated by means including ratchet wheels respectively aflixed to corresponding ends of said rolls and having oppositely pitched teeth, a spring-biased horizontally-arranged lever fulcrumed on the end of the lower cylinder, a pair of pawls pivoted between the ends of said lever and spring-biased into engagement with the respective ratchet wheels, and a stationa-rily supported cam for actuating said lever dur-' ing rotation of the needle cylinders in opposite directions to simultaneously pick the two ratchet wheels and thereby intermittently turn the nip rolls contran'wise.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a lower cylinder and an upper cylinder in coaxial relation, each provided with a half circle of needles, means for oscillating 6 the two cylinders in unison, a feed for serving yard to the needles, and separate groups of cams for actuating the needles in the respective cylinders to produce fabric from the yarn, the group for the lower needles including a main and an auxiliary stitch cam: a special cam associated wtih the cam group for the lower cylinder needles and operative to depress said needles slightly further after being drawn down by the main stitch cam to thereby equalize the fabric loops of the currently formed course.

4. In a circular knitting machine having a lower cylinder and an upper cylinder in coaxial relation, each provided with a half circle of needles, means for oscillating the two cylinders in unison, a feed for serving yarn to the needles and separate groups of cams including cams for actuating the needles in the respective cylinders to produce fabric from the yarn, the group for the lower needles including a main and an auxiliary stitch cam: a special cam for raising the needles in the lower cylinder slightly immediately after being depressed by. the auxiliary stitch cam to relieve the strain upon the newly formed fabric loops.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a lower cylinder and an upper cylinder in coaxial relation, each pro vided with a half circle of needles, means for oscillating the two cylinders in unison, a feed for serving yam to the needles, and separate groups of cams for actuating the needles in the respective cylinders to produce fabric from the yarn, the group for the lower needles including a main stitch cam and an auxiliary stitch cam: a special cam associated with the cam group for the lower cylinder needles and operative to depress said needles further slightly after being drawn down by the main stitch cam to thereby equalize the fabric loops of a course formed during rotation of the cylinders in one direction; and a special cam for raising the needles of the lower cylinder slightly immediately after being depressed by the auxiliary stitch cam during rotation of the cylinders in the opposite direction, to relieve the strain upon the newly formed loops.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a lower cylinder and an upper cylinder in coaxial relation, each provided with a half circle of needles, means for oscillating the two cylinders in unison, a feed for serving yarn to the needles, and separate groups of cams for actuating the needles in the respective cylinders to produce fabric from the yarn, the group for the lower needles including a main and an auxiliary stitch cam: a fabric take-up means including a pair of intermittently rotated nip rolls disposed crosswise of the bottom of the lower cylinder; a

special cam associated with the cam group for the lower cylinder needles and operative to depress said needles slightly further after being drawn down by the main stitch cam during rotation of the cylinders in one direc-a tion and thereby equalize the fabric loops of the currentresponding to the half circle of needles, interiorly of the upper end of lower cylinder at the knitting level, said ledge terminating in a verge curved on an arc struck from a center eccentrically disposed relative to the cylinder axis, over which verge the fabric is directed downwardly of the center of said cylinder and gradually flattened enroute to the nip rolls of the take-up means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,333,897 Southworth Nov. 9, 1943- 2,408,807

Norman Oct. 8, 1946 

